“When did you know it was what you wanted to do?” Curious to know how someone went from dreaming of becoming a teacher to a federal agent, he focused in on her words, trying to read between the lines.
“After I got through with my sessions with my psychologist I started to get really into human psychology. How the mind works and what events in our past shape who we’ll be. I wanted answers beyond what she could give me. I didn’t like the ‘sometimes bad things happen to good people’ bit I was being force-fed. I wanted—no, I needed to do more.” Swinging her beer toward him, she asked, “What about you? Carey Carr a cop?”
“I know, I know. When I lost Clark I just saw how pointless the stupid shit I did was. The time for teenage rebellion was gone. I dropped out of school not too long after you transferred. It just wasn’t the place I needed to be. I spent a period lost, confused, and hurting. But when I pulled it together I knew I wanted to help pick up the pieces of Dale, make people feel safe again and stop wasting potential and time, you know?”
“I do. It was a mess here for awhile.” His gaze shifted to the bustling bar, but his mind went back to the past. A lingering sadness had tinged everyone and everything in town the rest of the year. Parents held their children a little tighter. Kids went in when the sun went down. An unspoken curfew had been issued for teens. The campus issued a buddy system mandate and passed out pamphlets about being aware of your surroundings and how to escape an attacker, along with a rash of self-defense classes and speakers. It would help bring some comfort for others, never him.
“How long are you here for?” he asked, eager to change the subject when pain appeared in the depths of her eyes.
“Just through the weekend. I had a half day today. I’ll drive back Sunday to be at work Monday.”
“You staying at your parents’ place?”
“Yeah, it would crush them if I didn’t. Speaking of my parents, I should probably head home soon.” A quick look at the bucket told him they’d worked their way through the half dozen. Any more alcohol and driving might get iffy.
“Why don’t you stop by the station tomorrow and take a look at some files? Everyone knows you. It wouldn’t be strange if you stopped in to chat and look over some unsolved cases. I know it’s not much but it beats sitting around waiting for Clark to pop back in.”
“Agreed, sounds like a plan. Any particular time?”
“I’m open. Let’s exchange numbers.”
He pulled out his smart phone and she followed suit. They exchanged phone numbers and he settled the tab. Out in the parking lot they paused by their cars. The soft scent of honeysuckle teased his nose. He wanted to move closer and inhale deep. Silence stretched between them, and he found himself at a loss. This was the first time they’d had a civil conversation since everything happened. It felt good. Not quite the same as before but nice nonetheless.
“You seem to like bluntness, so I’m going to come right out and ask. When this is over are you driving back off into the sunset and forgetting about me again?”
She winced. “I deserved that. No, I want to work our way back to where we once were if you’re game.”
“I am.” He drank in her beauty. It was like an episode of The Twilight zone. Perhaps this was how it had been for Clark. The boy had been in love with her since the twelfth grade.
“Good, I’m looking forward to it.” An almost shy smile graced her lips. He couldn’t help the answering smile that formed. Look at us making nice.
“I am too, Vannah.” He’d had plenty of friends over the years, male and female, but none had come close to Clark or Vannah.
Pausing with her hand on the door, she glanced over her shoulder at him. “This really happened right? We saw Clark today?”
“Unless we’ve both flown off the deep end at the same time, yeah, I think we did.” He nodded. As the heat of the moment faded and the day came to a close, doubt crept in.
“I don’t know that I believe in ghosts Carey.”
“Worst-case scenario. We look into the case and come up with Zilch, right?”
“Right.” She nodded.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
He watched her until she was buckled up and drove off. You could never be too careful and to say he had an overprotective streak a mile long when it came to her would be a gross understatement. When he turned and got into his black sedan, he flinched. Clark sat in the passenger seat. His expression was stoic and his eyes stormy. It’s definitely real, Vannah.
“You like her, don’t you?” Clark asked. His lips were flattened into a straight line, and his nostrils flared.
“It’s Vannah. Of course I like her.”
“Yes, but its different now. I saw how you looked at her. There was nothing brotherly about it.” Clark jerked his head in the direction Vannah had gone. The possessiveness made Carey want to take a step back. His mannerisms screamed, ‘back off’.
Carey cleared his throat. “Clark she’s gorgeous, and I’m not blind. So, yeah, I looked.”
“Don’t do that,” he snapped.
> “Do what?” Carey shook his head, lost.